‘Game-changing’ beauty in bricks: Lush opens two concept stores and a mega Munich site

The move follows the cosmetics major’s recent openings of ‘Naked’ stores in Milan, Berlin, Manchester and Hong Kong, offering consumers packaging-free items, and its bath bomb concept store opened in Tokyo.

Lush said these latest store concepts came at a time revitalisation was needed “more than ever”,​ aiming to bring “more beautiful cosmetics, tech innovations and creative personal experiences”​ to high streets across mainland Europe.

Paul Wheatley, global property director at Lush, said: “At a time when physical retail is coming under huge economic pressure, we are committed to ongoing investment in game-changing store concepts on the world’s high streets and malls, unrestricted by geographic borders, providing innovation and new customer experiences as suitable opportunities arise.”​

Mega Munich - location features florist, coffee kiosk and community space​

Opened on Friday, last week, the 689-square metre, three-storey location in Munich marks Lush’s largest retail investment in Europe.

Featuring a range of exclusives for the German market, the store had a permanent florist selling locally-sourced and seasonal bouquets, a ‘perfume library’ offering perfumes and books on perfumery, a fair trade coffee kiosk and a community space.

Mark Constantine OBE, co-founder and MD of Lush, said Munich was an important destination choice for the brand. “When I was first thinking about starting a new company, I came to Munich and visited all of the supermarkets and organic food shops and saw their attitudes towards packaging. I wanted Lush to be a European brand and I took a lot of inspiration from Munich. Opening this shop feels a little like coming home.”​

Parisian potential – store offers specially-formulated natural cosmetics and flowers​

The ‘Fresh & Flowers’ Paris concept store opened at the end of October and was inspired by the French love of buying fresh produce from markets and local bakeries.

Following years of product development to create short-life cosmetics from natural ingredients, the store held a range of products for face, body and hair – all made without preservatives and some individually prepared by in-store teams. The store also offered shoppers locally-sourced, seasonal bouquets.

“Fresh isn’t just important, it defines us,”​ said Mo Constantine OBE, co-founder and product inventor at Lush. Fresh was part of the brand’s heritage and at the heart of its philosophy, Constantine said, and the Paris store concept took this “one step further”.​

Florence and the medicine – store offers perfume consultations and literature​

The Florence Perfume Library opened earlier this week on Monday 11 November, housing the largest collection of Lush fragrances in the world. It also featured a new collection inspired by the city of Florence and the Renaissance period.

In-store teams offered shoppers perfume consultations based on humoural theory – a system of medicine adopted by Ancient Greek and Roman physicians and philosophers – and consumers also had access to more than 70 books on sale, covering essential oils, aromatherapy, history and regeneration.

“The Perfume Library had to be in Florence because it was the birthplace of modern perfumery during the Renaissance. It is hard to not take inspiration from such a place and we really indulged ourselves in its history, art and iconic sights,”​ said Mark Constantine.